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Kail Ellis staying at Auburn, won’t enter transfer portal

by: Bryan Matthews01/04/26BMattAU

Auburn has to build an entirely new offensive line and Kail Ellis should be a good starting point.

The rising sophomore will return for his second season with the Tigers after starting two games as a freshman last fall, sources tell AuburnSports. Ellis officially finalized re-signing with the program on Sunday.

The early high school graduate was the nation’s youngest FBS player when he started in back-to-back games at Arkansas and against Kentucky.

Ellis is just one of two Auburn offensive linemen with starting experience scheduled to return from last season joining junior Tyler Johnson, who started twice in 2024.

“The biggest thing for me, obviously, just is taking it week by week, focusing on the team that we play on the weekend,” Ellis said following the Arkansas win. “But I try to take every practice day and try to improve. Because again, I’m still a freshman. I’m still trying to improve daily, so that’s the biggest thing — just again, preparing for the team we play but also continue to improve myself and continue to get better.”

Fellow freshmen Tai Buster and Jacobe Ward are also expected to return, along with Ellis.

“Plays incredibly hard. Snaps were pretty good,” former head coach Hugh Freeze said of Ellis in October. “I think we had a few more explosive (plays), or more yards, in a run when he was singled up some, but he held his own for sure. Pass (protection) did well. I think he got maybe two pressures, but I’m proud of him and we need him to get better again this week.”

All five of last year’s regular starters are moving on. Jeremiah Wright, Dillon Wade and Mason Murphy are out of eligibility, Xavier Chaplin plans to enter the transfer portal and Connor Lew declared for the 2026 NFL Draft.

“Auburn, myself and my family feel like it gives me the best opportunity to achieve what I’m trying to achieve,” Ellis said when he originally committed. “God has blessed me with an incredible opportunity to play this game, so why not come in early learn from the veteran guys and work my butt off to fight for a job?”